Little angel

(22) feeling at home

Ivory's POV:

I quickly settled into the forest and my new life style along side the wolf pack, honestly it felt amazing to be back in the forest again and being far away from crowded cities. It's day four of helping out and todays chore was hunting along side the adults as the old alpha is now to old to hunt so instead she stayed with the pups and I was told to join them. It was fun talking about different things like what I had experienced with people and what they had, one had nearly been poached, another was originally used for fighting and breeding purposes but now they hold no contempt for humans as they are now in a safe place. Echo flies a little a head and screeches alerting me that there are some deer not too far ahead, I feel a little bad for killing animals considering I can understand them but I found that if every part of the animal is used and honoured it isn't murder instead it's just the laws of nature working her magic. We creep up on the two female deer's grazing in the foliage, making it better their also separated from the herd, the alpha pair nod and everyone takes their position. I fly into a tree in case I need to jump one of them. It takes all four of them to take down of the deer's but after checking the alpha female, Bella, said that the pack only needs one to eat for the next two days. I nod and glide down from the tree, taking the opportunity to be helpful I put up the carcass and throw it over my shoulder with ease. We make our way back to the den and enjoy the feast. Once everyone finished they used the bones and antlers to gnaw on or chew. I then helped set aside the other uneaten half for tomorrow and go to the river edge, which is just beyond the bushes, to clean up a little and to give some scraps to Echo who is very grateful for the food as always.

No one's POV:

Unknowing to Ivory the rangers had cameras surrounding the forest so after checking the footage of that day they found Ivory hunting with the pack. Confused how a person got there or how the pack accepted her they alerted their higher ups, who then reported it to the government. Surprisingly it took much longer for the avengers to find out her location. By that point though Ivory had been fully accepted into the pack and they saw her as one of their own.

Ivory's POV:

Much to my distress the anxiety from when I left the tower still hasn't left and by the day it only gets worse. I had been feeling a little under the weather recently but I hadn't let it change anything until our hunt the other day. We had just finished up and I was carrying back our dinner when I lost strength in my lower half, I began coughing and wheezing until I coughed up blood and fainted. I don't know how but somehow the wolves were able to bring both me and our dinner back to the den, recently I found they had asked the lovely bear couple to help bring me back by placing me on one of their backs whilst they try and find some herbs. I woke up in the cave very disoriented and weak, they were all worried but I told them I was fine. Since then I've kinda been under house arrest, Bella and her mate, Axel, told me 'As part of the pack you have to do as your told and we are telling you to rest, and not leave the den. We don't know if you'll collapse again. We can't keep calling on the poor old bear couple if you keep fainting, okay? If you really feel like helping, look after the pups whilst we hunt. Got it?' I couldn't argue with their statement so I just nodded and stayed inside with the pups.

Later Echo hopped into the cave, extremely worried might I add. "Are you okay Ivory?! You fainted on yesterdays hunt!" I sigh at the owl as he flails his wings about. "I'm okay I think. Look I no longer feel faint just a little weak okay?" He shakes his head and I hold out my arm for him to hop onto, which he does. "Look...I've only gotten you back recently so please just stay and rest. I can't lose you again." He hops to my shoulder and chirps sadly as he nuzzles my head gently, "I promise I'll be careful and rest. Anyways I'm under house arrest cause the alphas don't want me fainting on them during a hunt again." He nods "Good. I wouldn't have it any other way..." He pauses for a moment "...I'm glad we found the pack. I don't know what I would do if this happened with just me and you... I- I wouldn't be able to care for you as well as the pack can." I pick him up so he faces me and stroke back his head feathers with my free hand, "I wouldn't worry about it cause we have the pack anyways, I know you'd do a great job Echo. Please don't put yourself down, okay?" He coos and turns his head away "..Okay" I smile and place my head against his "thank you".

-Two weeks later-

The hunters brought back a small boar for todays meal. As per usual I give Echo some scraps, with a bit extra as a treat. Bella sits down beside me after finishing eating and caring for the pups, "How are you feeling dear?" She places her head on my stomach, "Better, a bit weak but still better." She gives her best wolf smile and licks some blood off my face, "That's good. How about we go over to the river so you can clean up a little. Just us females okay?" I nod and slowly get up. We walk over to the river and I slip off my shirt and shorts before hopping into the lukewarm water, "I'll never understand how you can get so dirty in one day Ivory, you didn't even go hunting today." Bella chuckles, I shrug and wipe myself down with the water "It's a gift!" She bursts out laughing "More like a curse" I swim over to the edge and shake my head smiling. I shake off as much water as possible and put back on my clothes, I go to stand up again when she growls at the sound of a twig snapping. Instinctively she stands in front of me, thankfully it was just a ranger. He was scared off by Bella's warning growl, "I've still got it." She sways her tail triumphantly, I smile wearily and agree "Yeah, he never saw it coming. If he got any closer he might've also gotten a squeak out of me" Bella huffs and swats me in the face with her tail "I deserved that" Though Bella was kind enough to wait for me to wobble over to the den and lay back down in the deepest spot of then den, which is right beside the pups sleeping corner, it's the safest part of the entire den. Axel nuzzles me then goes over to nuzzle and groom Bella, whilst I chat with the pups.

Another night falls and the pack sleeps whilst I stay awake, sometimes the pain in my chest gets too unbearable and it stops me from sleeping. When this happens the one of the two beta wolves, Bandit, Stays up with me until I eventually doze off. He is a lovely wolf and I always enjoy our chats, "Can't sleep Ivy?" I shake my head as he trots over "No...not really." he plops himself down beside me with his head on my legs "I'm going to go on a whim here, stop me if this sounds crazy. Your in pain?" I fake a shocked expression "Now you are starting to sound crazy Bandit" We both quietly laugh as to not wake the others. "I just don't understand what's going on...You were so strong and energetic, now your in pain, coughing up blood, lethargic and even losing bits of your fur!" He whisper yells. I sigh, "Honestly, I have no clue. I didn't really look into illness when I was still living with people. All I know is I'm sick and I'm not getting better." He huffs and we chat for a bit longer until his words begin to sound hazy and I pass out.

"Good night Ivy. Hope you feel better tomorrow."